To Those Who Wait
by Famousfremus
Summary: 'Death cannot stop true love. It can only delay it for a little while.' - The Princess Bride. A chance meeting between a Nymph and a Mortal sets in motion a love affair that defies the Gods and spans eons from Ancient Greece to modern day New York City. An Everlark tale loosely based on the myth of Pygmalion and Galatea.


_**A/N: This was originally written for the Fandom4LLS collection in August. This story will be continued in early 2014.**_

Kallisto returns to Peta's meadow feeling exhilarated after a successful hunt with Artemis and the other nymphs. The moment she steps foot in the meadow, however, her hunter's intuition screams that something is very wrong, and she shivers as the cold finger of fear slides down her spine to settle in her stomach. At first glance, nothing seemed amiss. The goats are meandering around their pen and the small fire by the tent has died, but that is not unusual for a warm day like today.

Cautiously, she approaches the small tent and finds it empty; devoid of life. She tamps down her rising panic as she wonders where Peta is, and why she feels so strange, as if the atmosphere was closing in to suffocate her.

A loud noise from outside the tent startles her and she turns to find Lady standing on her hind legs, trying desperately to push down the wall of the goat pen.

"Peace, my friend. What is amiss? Where is your master?" Kallisto didn't expect the animal to actually answer her, but being a nymph of the forest gives her the unique ability to communicate with and understand the flora and fauna.

The goat looks towards the woods, to a section Kallisto isn't entirely familiar with and lets out a plaintive bleat. Kallisto scratches the helpful goat behind the ears then slowly approaches the edge of the wood, looking for signs of Peta's whereabouts.

She finds the trail easily, following his path as it meanders through the dense foliage. The trees are thicker here, and not as much sunlight breaches the layers of leaves. It is colder and darker, and she begins to more and more feel apprehensive about what she might find.

Suddenly, in a small clearing, there is a thicket of familiar looking bushes and another sliver of fear runs down her spine. A sense of foreboding chills her to the core as she nears the innocuous looking bushes.

"No!" Kallisto chokes out in horror as she spies an arm lying limp on the ground, the rest of the body obscured by the bushes. She already knows in her heart whose arm it is, but the dusting of golden hair, that constellation of freckles and the bits of dried pigment that he could never quite clean out from under his nails confirms that it is indeed her Peta.

"No, please. It cannot be." She runs to the bushes and nearly faints at the sight of Peta's body sprawled before her, his bright blue eyes closed for eternity and a tell-tale purple stain upon his lips.

Kallisto cries out in agony as she falls to her knees beside her beloved, touching his cool skin, trying desperately to warm him and wake him.

She looks around frantically, finally spying the culprit hidden in a patch of blueberry bushes. A small growth of poisonous nightlock berries had sprung up between harmless blueberries, blending in completely, making them lethal to the untrained eye. Peta had been picking blueberries, not knowing he was adding a viper to the mix, proving to be a fatal mistake.

"You foolish mortal! Why didn't you listen to me about the berries? I told you to be careful; I told you what to look for!" She admonishes him, knowing full well that he cannot hear her, but needing to vent her fury.

"You promised you'd be waiting when I came back. You promised! What am I to do without you?" Her voice breaks as her whispered question goes unanswered, shattering her heart.

Hours pass as Kallisto sits cradling Peta's body in her arms, unwilling to let him go. Her tears have long since run out, leaving her numb inside.

"I love you, Peta. I would give up everything – my bow, my everlasting youth, my very existence just to have the chance to tell you how much you mean to me." Kallisto does not miss the irony of her confession, coming far too late to have any meaning.

An idea begins to percolate in her mind, spreading much like ivy around the trunk of a tree, rooting itself deep into her brain. Thanks to her mortal father, she is not completely immortal, leaving her susceptible to many of the same perils as Man. If she cannot be with Peta in this world, she will join him in the next; they will be reunited in the Underworld.

A fresh wave of tears comes and Kallisto lets them drop freely from her eyes to rain upon the handsome face of her lost love. Reaching behind her, where she knows the silent killer waits, she pulls off a handful of the bulbous berries and brings them to her mouth, chewing thoroughly and swallowing every drop of the bitter nectar.

As the venom slowly works its way throughout her body, she lies down next to Peta and places her head on his chest. She then wraps his arms around her one last time and silently waits for death to claim her.

_Two months earlier…_

Kallisto perches motionless on a high branch of the ancient apple tree, almost as if she were part of it, easily disappearing into the gnarled brown bark, and watches the great white stag as it feasts upon the dark red berries hanging like dewdrops from a nearby bush.

Slowly, without so much as a whisper, she slides a silver tipped arrow from the quiver at her back and notches it before pulling back the string in a gesture as fluid as a dancer. When the bow is poised and ready, she stills and takes a deep breath, centering her mind as she prepares to let the arrow fly. Before she can, the stag's massive head jerks up as his finely tuned senses react to the danger surrounding him. She swears the beast even winks at her before leaping away to find safety deeper in the forest. Shaking her head, she kisses the three middle fingers of her left hand and raises it in salute to the worthy opponent. This is a game they've played for many years - she and the white stag - and it seems they will continue their dance another time.

She's spent the better part of the day in pursuit of the stag, which had led her on a rambling path to an unfamiliar part of the forest, close to where the mortals dwell, and now she can feel the exhaustion creeping in. Deciding a nap is not a bad idea, Kallisto settles herself once more on the branches of the apple tree, and lets her body relax. The day is warm, and the droning of the bees among the apples had a hypnotic effect on the tired nymph, sending her straight into the realm of Morpheus.

She is not sure how long she's been asleep when the incessant bleating of a goat wakes her from her slumber. "Wretched animal," she grouses as she yawns and wipes the evidence of her nap from her eyes.

She leans over the branch and spies the object of her annoyance below her, its back legs digging into the soft ground, stiff and unyielding. It's pulling against the rope looped around its neck, refusing to budge any further. The rope is taut, obviously held by some as yet unseen mortal hidden from her view by the leaves. Kallisto would find this scene amusing, if the blasted animal hadn't woken her and she briefly considers using her bow to seek revenge.

"Come now, Lady, don't be so stubborn. It is your own fault; if you hadn't wandered so far away to begin with, we wouldn't have such a long journey now, would we?" Kallisto sits up straight on the branch, startled and now wide awake at the sound of this new male voice. The husky timbre seems to make the very air sizzle around her and makes her belly flutter in a strange but not unwelcome manner.

Kallisto leans over the edge of the branch, eager now to see the mortal with the alluring voice. From her perch high in the tree, she sees the man is kneeling in front of the goat and is scratching behind its ears in a loving gesture as he continues speaking to the animal in dulcet tones, trying to cajole the animal to move. She has never known mortals to be quite so caring for their livestock, making this man an anomaly, and thus fascinating.

She also notices that he's not the worst specimen she's seen as far as mortals are concerned. He is of medium build with a muscular frame, not too lean, but not too burly; seeming comfortable in his skin. What she notices most, though, are the thick waves that grace his head. In the sunlight, his hair is flecked with strands of gold, standing out in contrast to the slightly darker honey-colored strands. Her fingertips tingle at the sight and she wonders if his hair would feel as soft as it looks or if it would be coarse, like the fur of the goat.

_Surely he cannot be mortal! He is the very image of Apollo, _she thinks to herself as she stares at the man in wonder.

"Very well, you win, my Lady." He chuckles good-naturedly and Kallisto feels a shiver of something unknown dance down her spine at the sound. "We shall rest here for a bit then continue our journey after a snack. Does that meet with your approval?"

Kallisto swears she sees the goat bat it's eyelashes at the man in response before it bleats again and sits, clearly happy with this decision.

He laughs again and Kallisto's heart skitters in her chest. She's not sure why this man's voice is causing such a strange reaction in her. _Perhaps I am just feeling famished myself, _she muses, _it has been a while since I last ate._

She is about to grab an apple from the bunch above her head when she hears the unmistakable sound of sandals scratching on bark. She looks down the trunk and is surprised to see the man has begun climbing the tree, or rather, _her _tree.

The sight of his chiseled forearms as he grabs the lower branches captures her attention. She watches as the muscles twist and bulge under the skin, giving them definition. Her gaze travels to his shoulders as they roll and bunch with each pull upwards. Most intriguing, though are his legs. His thighs are as thick as the young saplings she tended the forest the other day, tapering down to his long narrow feet. She's amused to see that the laces of the sandals he wears are double knotted where they meet just below his knees.

Kallisto is so busy taking stock of the man's bodily attributes that she doesn't realize until it's almost too late that he's headed for the very branch she's currently straddling. Quickly, she uses her gift of camouflage to blend in to the background of greens and browns among the other branches, effectively making her invisible to the nearing mortal.

When he makes it to her branch, he swings one of his legs over and tries to reach the bunch of apples hanging just out of reach. Deciding that those apples are not worth the potential drop to the ground, the man turns and tries for the bunch hanging next to Kallisto instead. He reaches forward, using his powerful thighs to grip the branch, and braces himself with one hand as he reaches with the other. The hand that he uses to brace himself happens to land between Kallisto's parted legs and his fingers brush the inside of her knee, causing her to gasp.

At the sound of her sharp intake, the golden man looks up and she sees that his eyes are a deep clear blue, just like the sea just after a storm, and they're framed by the longest lashes she's ever seen. She is so intent on her perusal that she loses her concentration, and invisibility, for the length of a heartbeat. He pulls back, shocked and then peers into the dark leaves, trying to determine if he really saw her or not. Kallisto remains still as a stone, sending a prayer out to whatever God is listening that the man does not see her.

She sees his eyes widen and she fears he is on the brink of discovering her when there is a dull crack and the branch begins to shiver, unable to support his weight much longer. Sensing the danger his is now in, the man grabs some apples and quickly descends the tree to where the goat has been patiently waiting for her master.

Kallisto peeks through the leaves and finds the man is looking up into the tree, a puzzled frown upon his handsome face as he devours the apple. She can't help but watch his full lips as they suction to the sweet fruit before he takes a bite, the juice dripping down his chin. Suddenly her mouth is dry as she wonders what it would taste like if she were to trace it with her tongue. Again, her concentration wavers, making her visible, and she knows for sure he's seen her this time as a slow smile works its way across his face. Wordlessly, the man throws the core to the goat before loosening her rope from the tree and pulling her along behind him without a second glance.

Once she is certain they are gone, Kallisto lets the veil fall completely and drops to the ground. She feels unsettled and confused after her run-in with the mortal, not unlike the time she'd fallen from the willow tree as a child, causing her head to ache for days afterwards. This time though, she fears the ache isn't one that will easily be remedied.

Days pass but Kallisto is unable to get thoughts of the golden man out of her mind. Since that moment when she looked into his eyes, she's been unable to think of anything but him. Even hunting, which normally calmed and centered her, has been nothing but frustrating. Whenever she closes her eyes, she sees his face and his deep blue eyes surrounded by a halo of waves varying in color from the finest gold to the tawny coat of a newborn fawn. Her thoughts dwell on his long, muscular legs as they wrapped around the trunk of the tree, his thighs bared almost to the hip; his strong arms as he held onto the branch and stretched toward the hanging apples; the rough calluses that brushed against her bare leg and sent shivers coursing through her body.

Kallisto isn't sure why this mortal fascinates her when all the others have been nothing more than nuisances. This man was different, that much was certain, and the fact that he flustered her to the point of dropping her invisibility made him both alluring and dangerous.

This day, her wanderings have taken her closer to the edge of the forest and nearer to the mortal dwellings she usually avoids. Kallisto refuses to answer the voice in the back of her mind that wonders why she chose to come this way instead of following her usual hunting trails. Instead, she begins to whistle and soon has a chorus of birds echoing her song.

Suddenly there is a break in the tree line and she is shocked and delighted to see a lush green meadow hidden in the midst of the forest. Near the far edge of the meadow is a small tent with a roughly hewn pen full of goats grazing on the sweet clover that carpets the ground. There's a small fire blazing in front of the tent and the grey smoke rises lazily in the afternoon air.

Kallisto skirts the edge of the tree line toward the little encampment and as she gets closer, she hears the bleat of a familiar goat. Her heart starts to pound in her chest as she realizes she recognizes one of the goats in the pen, specifically the one currently looking in her direction.

If that is the goat from the apple tree, that means the golden man can't be too far away. As if she had willed him to appear, the man with the blue eyes comes out of the tent and goes to the pen, presumably to see what is upsetting the goat.

Kallisto jumps silently into the branches of the nearest tree and works her way closer, making sure to keep well hidden from his view. She settles on a thick limb, content to lay there and watch as he comforts the goat, which has not stopped making noise since she arrived.

She cannot hear his words, but the gentle tone he uses with the goat causes the strange feelings to stir within her once again, making her feel suddenly restless. As she shifts to a more comfortable position, the rough bark rubs against her most intimate parts and a bolt of sensation shoots through her, causing her to cry out.

The golden man hears her cry and turns in the direction of the tree. "Who's there?"

He squints against the bright sunlight, staring into the trees to find who, or what, made the sound. He leaves the now silent goat and walks cautiously towards the wood. When he's under her tree, he stops and looks around before calling into the branches. "If you're out there, please know that I will not harm you."

There is a pause and Kallisto holds her breath, waiting for his next move. "My name is Peta," he starts again, "Please, tell me who you are?"

Despite every fiber of her being telling her it's a bad idea and Artemis' voice reminding her of her vow to avoid mortals, Kallisto is curious. This man intrigues her and so far she has seen nothing to suggest he is a danger to her. Decided, she lets out the breath she'd been holding and drops soundlessly to the earth in front of Peta. She raises her head and sees that he is looking at her in awe. His blue eyes are wide and his cheeks are stained with a faint blush.

"I am Kallisto, Maiden of Artemis." She stands tall, hoping she sounds more confident than she feels.

Peta drops to one knee in reverence but she waves him off. "No. I am not a Goddess, only a nymph of the forest. You need not kneel to me, mortal."

"Kallisto," her name sounds like a prayer coming from his lips. "That is a beautiful name for a beautiful woman."

She flushes a deep pink at the compliment, unsure of how to respond. His presence has rattled her nerves far more than she'd like to admit. Her nerves get the better of her, causing her to blurt out the first thing that comes to her mind. "How did you know I was there?"

"Lady seemed pretty sure someone was in the forest, and I trust her instincts. Also, I'm an artist and artists can see beauty where no one else thinks to look." He chuckles and while the sound helps to calm her slowly fraying nerves; it's his smile that gets to her and she feels the corners of her mouth twitch upwards as well.

"If you're an artist, what are you doing out in the middle of nowhere with a bunch of goats?" Manners have never been her strong point.

Peta laughs again and Kallisto decides it is quickly becoming one of her favorite sounds. "Firstly, it's called a 'tribe' of goats, not a bunch. Secondly, I am helping out my brother, Sitos, while he helps his wife, who has just given birth to their second child. The goats are his and since I can create art practically anywhere, I volunteered to take them to pasture. Plus, I had been seeking new inspiration for my painting and thought a chance of scenery would help."

"Painting? Do you mean pottery?" Kallisto is genuinely curious, but also wants to keep him talking so she can watch his lips as they move.

"Mostly pottery, but lately I've been using specially made wooden panels. I have some that I've done recently, if you'd like to see them." He waits for her to follow him to the tent.

As much as she'd like to accompany him, she's not sure if she should. He has an unnerving way of making her thoughts muddled. "I do not think it wise for me to leave the woods."

Peta turns back to her, puzzled. "What do you mean? There's nothing here that can harm you, unless the goats are hungry." Her lips twitch at his joke, but she squashes the smile before it forms upon her lips.

"Aside from journeys to Olympus, I have never been outside the confines of the trees. I do not even know if I am able to leave, regardless of how much I may want to." Kallisto realizes her slip as soon as the words leave her mouth.

A grin spreads across Peta's face, making him even more handsome, a feat Kallisto had previously thought impossible. She starts to have that strange queasy feeling she'd had in the apple tree and immediately pushes it away, convinced she's just hungry from her long day of hunting.

"How do you know you can't if you've never tried?" His voice is soft and playful, and somehow she doesn't think he's only speaking about leaving comfort of the forest.

Kallisto mulls it over in her mind. She's never been specifically told she _can't_ leave the woods; she's just never had the desire or opportunity. Besides, he's just showing her his paintings. What's the harm?

Decision made, Kallisto takes first one, then another step out of the shadow of the trees and into the bright sun of the meadow. She hesitates and looks around, almost as if anticipating the hand Zeus to knock her back into the woods. When that does not occur, she continues on to the tent with Peta easily falling into step with her.

As the days lengthen towards midsummer, Kallisto finds herself visiting the meadow often. She tells herself it's because her seemingly never-ending hunt of the white stag leads her that way, and that it has nothing to do with the friendly shepherd living there.

Her visits eventually fall into a pattern of meeting at mid-day and spending the long afternoons exploring the woods while the goats do their best to eat every plant contained in the lush meadow.

Peta teaches her which minerals create which color pigments, and how to mix them with wax to preserve the color longer. Kallisto shows him which plants in the forest are edible and which ones to avoid. She makes a special point of showing him the nightlock berries, which closely resemble harmless blueberries.

"The poison of the nightlock is so potent you are dead before you swallow. It is believed that ancient warriors dipped their arrow tips in the poison to ensure even the tiniest scratch would be lethal." Kallisto explains, showing him the differences in color and texture between the berries.

"It is amazing how something that looks so sweet can be so deadly." He smiles at her, and she feels an odd fluttering feeling in her belly.

She clears her throat to break the strange tension that has sparked between them. "Yes, well, just be careful. If you aren't sure, just leave them alone." His only response is to smile wider.

The more time they spend together, the more Kallisto finds herself inventing reasons to touch Peta – a hand on his arm when she laughs at his jokes, brushing a wayward lock of golden hair from his forehead with her fingertips, and once even jumping into his arms for a hug when she finally managed to draw something that actually resembled what it was supposed to be.

She tells herself that the touches mean nothing that she's just being friendly, but another, secret part of her enjoys the way he responds, with a smile or a touch of his own. This secret part, the part she's denied for so long, is beginning to grow stronger, making her think about Peta in ways she's never considered before and making her feel anxious, but for what she's not sure.

These warring parts of her struggle for dominance whenever she's with Peta, and she's beginning to be wary of the fight. It is exhausting to continuously deny something that you know deep in your heart is right.

Never was this battle more apparent than the day Kallisto decided to show Peta how to shoot. She spent countless moments fixing his stance, touching him no more than necessary to make sure his feet were correctly positioned or that his shoulders were straight as he pulled back the bow.

They'd been working on it most of the afternoon, with varying success, when the sky opened up with a sudden shower, soaking them both completely within minutes.

Kallisto wasn't overly concerned, it was only rain after all, but Peta seemed bothered by something. He was staring at her with an intense look in his blue eyes. Rather, he was staring at her breasts, which were currently on full display as the linen of her chiton became transparent in the rain. The soft fabric molded to her curves like a second skin and she felt her nipples harden against the rough fabric, though whether it was from the cooler air or the intensity of Peta's gaze, she couldn't be sure. At the moment, all she cared about was the look of hunger on his face and the way his pink tongue poked out to run along his supple lips.

A wetness began to pool between her legs that had nothing to do with the rain and she felt lightheaded from forgetting to breathe. The only thought in her mind was how badly she wanted to kiss him, to finally know if his lips were as soft as she'd imagined they'd be. And from the look in his eyes, she knew without a doubt he wanted it, too.

The tension built, almost to the point of exploding when one of the goats kicked the side of the pen, breaking the trance they'd been lost in. They both looked away, her blushing fiercely and him panting, and went their separate ways for the evening.

Things are initially awkward between them after the moment in the rain. Kallisto tries to keep their conversation light, telling him about her father, a mortal king and her mother, a lesser goddess of the healing arts. Peta tells her of his father and brothers, who are all farmers, but does not mention his mother. From the look on his face, though, she gathers that is not a topic on which he would like to dwell.

Their relationship returns to what it had been, one of friendship and common interests, and any more troubling feelings Kallisto may develop are firmly shoved aside and ignored. She has felt Peta's eyes on her more and when she catches him, he looks away quickly, blushing. These moments always leave her feeling strangely happy, with a warm buzzing in her veins. _It is simply the heat, _she tries telling herself at these times, _I am not used to being under the relentless eye of the sun for so long._

One morning, a fortnight after the rain encounter, Kallisto is once again tracking the white stag, this time through a different part of the forest, away from Peta's meadow. The stag's trail ends at the edge of a stream and picks up on the other side where it continues parallel to the softly rushing water. Kallisto follows the trail downstream, eventually losing the tracks when they once again cross the water. Shaking her head at being bested by the stag yet again, she becomes aware of the sound of splashing water nearby.

Cautiously she walks closer to the sound, her bow at the ready. As she rounds a bend in the stream, she sees that there is someone up ahead in the water. From the broad back and shoulders, she can tell it is obviously a man, but his head is bent into the water, using the rushing current to wash his hair so she cannot see what he looks like. She watches him in fascination as he lifts his sopping wet head from the water and whips left and right, like a dog, sending droplets of water like diamonds in all directions. The wet wavy hair is darker than its usual mélange of gold and light brown, but there's no mistaking that it is Peta, or that he is completely nude.

Kallisto debates whether or not to turn around and go back to her part of the forest or even to the meadow and give him his privacy. In the end, her curiosity is too great and instead she silently moves closer, situating herself high in the branches of a tree. Once she is settled, she allows her gaze to roam over the taut muscles of his back, the strong shoulders and well defined arms.

She almost falls out of the tree when he stands and she is treated to the full view of his backside. Kallisto has seen plenty of nude males – the Gods and other nymphs revel in their nudity – but none have been as simply beautiful as this man. His body is as firm and defined as if it were sculpted out of the finest marble and her finger tips itch to touch him.

She thinks that there can be nothing more amazing until he turns around and she's treated to a glimpse of his manhood. Again, she is familiar with the male member, mostly in its erect form, but even in repose Peta puts the Gods themselves to shame. Kallisto's mouth goes dry at the thought of what he would look like aroused and a rush of warmth bursts through her belly to pool between her legs. Suddenly, she's throbbing in her most intimate place and wants nothing more than to squeeze her thighs together but her legs are wrapped around the branch. Peta continues his bath while she watches, causing the throbbing to grow more and more intense. She tries to scoot further along the branch, for a closer look, and the friction of the hard wood between her thighs causes her to hiss in pleasure.

Inspired, Kallisto leans back against the trunk of the tree and lets her hand fall between her legs as she watches Peta scrub his body clean. As she watches him, her hand runs down her inner thigh to where her swollen, needy bundle waits. She has never touched herself like this before, but suddenly she is overwhelmed with the need to understand what is happening within her body.

Her hand trembles as her finger lightly grazes her outer lips, the resulting jolt of pleasure causing her nipples to pucker against the linen of her chiton. She adds a second finger, swirling them through the moisture that has pooled there. She imagines it is Peta's hand on her body, the rough texture of his fingers scraping against her most tender skin.

She continues to watch him, fingers circling madly around the throbbing nub at her center, until the sensations become too much and she falls over the edge. The intensity of her orgasm shakes her to core, leaving her breathless and all at once she understands why love and lust are such powerful emotions. She knows she needs to get away from this place, before he discovers her and she gives into the temptation that he will surely present. With a final glance at his gloriously nude form, she slips from the tree and quickly makes her way to another part of the forest.

Had she been paying better attention, she would have noticed the knowing smile upon Peta's lips, after having heard her pleasuring herself in the tree.

Kallisto manages to keep away from the meadow, and therefore Peta, for many days. She busies herself with the hunting and gathering she'd been neglecting, preparing the woods for the inevitable decline when Persephone returned to Hades and in the underworld.

Her thoughts never strayed too far from the golden man in the stream, though. More often than not she's needed to find a secluded tree so she could ease the ache thoughts of him created within her. Once she used the fingers of the other hand, plunging them deep inside while the others teased the sensitive button. The climax from that experience left her panting, unable to move from the tree due to her legs feeling like rubber. That was the moment when Kallisto began to wonder what it would be like to have Peta's manhood inside of her.

This new thought lingers at the back of her mind during the day, only to fully consume her at night. Her dreams were full of erotic images of her and Peta in various positions, touching and tasting one another until the pleasure caused them both to cry out in ecstasy. She wakes each morning, alone, feeling more and more frustrated and unsatisfied.

Finally, after just over a week away from him, Kallisto's pent up desires reach the boiling point. Other nymphs give in to their desires all the time, never concerning themselves with the consequences, why can't she do the same? In her mind it makes perfect sense – she wants Peta and he obviously is not immune to her, if she recalls his reaction to her nearly naked breasts correctly. She is curious and if he is willing, she wants her first experience of sex to be with him.

Her decision made, Kallisto prepares for meeting Peta at the meadow. She bathes, making sure to rid her long black hair of the leaves and bits of branch that tend to cling to it and uses olive oil to make is shine like ebony. She considers braiding it back, but instead leaves it free to flow about her shoulders. In a moment of whimsy she creates a crown of apple blossoms, a nod to how they first met, and their sweet fragrance wafts around her, helping to calm her suddenly fraying nerves.

She takes her time getting to the meadow, nervous that Peta will be upset with her for avoiding him but also anxious about what his reaction will be to what she wants from him. She knows it is foolish to put her heart on the line this way, there is always the chance he will reject her, but she simply cannot keep denying the feelings that have been growing inside her since that day in the apple tree.

The closer she gets to the meadow, and to Peta, the more her nerves threaten to overwhelm her desire to see him, to the point where she actually stops and considers just turning around and trying to forget about him. In the end, she gathers all of the courage she can and marches resolutely toward her fate, whatever it may be.

By the time she reaches the edge of the forest, it is late afternoon; long shadows are starting to grow across the grass as the sun races toward the end of its journey across the sky. She sees Peta bent over one of his painting panels, working furiously, and she hesitates again, unsure if it would be better to interrupt him or just wait until he is finished. She knows she is stalling and that the time she spends pondering what to do is actually making her nerves worse, but she cannot help herself.

The decision is made for her when Lady catches her scent and races to the edge of the pen, bleating loudly. Peta startles at the sudden sound and looks around to see what has disturbed the goat and she can tell the moment he spies her hidden amongst the trees. His eyes widen in disbelief as he stands and waits for her to make the first move.

Kallisto swallows and with a deep breath, steps out of the comfort of the trees into the unknown of the meadow. She slowly walks through the sweet smelling grass to stand just before Peta. Brilliant blue meets silvery grey as their eyes lock, probing for answers to questions neither of them can give voice to.

"You came back." He breaks first, his voice both questioning and hopeful.

_I'm sorry. I never meant to cause you pain. I didn't understand my feelings and I was embarrassed after watching you in the stream. Please forgive me. Please be my friend again. Please kiss me and end the torture of wondering what your lips would feel like, taste like. _The words fly around Kallisto's mind in a twisted jumble, and she tries to unknot her thoughts. A hot ball of anxiety clogs her throat though and the best she can do is nod in response, and hope that he understands.

"You came back." The relief in his voice is palpable, and a slow, beautiful smile spreads across his face, causing her heart to flip over in her chest.

Again, words fail her as she stares at him, her pulse thumping rapidly as she realizes just how much she's missed him. He is mesmerizing and she is drawn to him, like a moth to a flame.

"I would like to show you something, if I may." He holds out his hand to her and she hesitates. Part of her wants to just turn around and go back to her part of the forest, to forget this man and the strange feelings he's awoken in her, but the louder, more insistent part is screaming for her to take his hand and follow him to the ends of the earth. Ultimately, she cannot resist his allure and takes his hand.

He leads her to the sit by the smoldering embers of the fire and quickly ducks into the tent, returning with a wooden panel. He sits next to her, suddenly nervous, as he hands her the panel.

"I wasn't sure if I'd see you again, so I did this so I would never forget you." He explains shyly as she stares in wonder at the image Peta created.

It is her, in the meadow standing with her bow drawn, ready to be released. She looks like a goddess, stunning in a gown that flows to her ankles and a diadem shining upon her brow. Her silver eyes flash with the triumph of the hunt and her full lips are quirked slightly, making her look seductive and powerful.

Tears prick at her eyes as she struggles with the emotions threatening to drown her. Mostly there is shock that this is how he sees her, but there is also awe in his obvious talent, and warmth spreading throughout her chest that she cannot give name to, or rather does not wish to acknowledge.

"Oh, Peta, it's...I…you're very talented." Kallisto tells him breathlessly as she runs her fingers along the brush strokes on panel, struggling yet again to put her thoughts into words.

"Thank you. I guess I finally had the right inspiration." His ethereal blue eyes hold her silvery pools of molten mercury with an intensity she has never experienced in her long life. Her pulse races as though bees were buzzing in her veins as his eyes hold hers hostage.

Mindlessly obeying an instinct as old as time, she leans forward and presses her lips to his. It is a brief kiss, barely more than a brush of lips, but the effect is immediate and intense.

Peta removes the painted panel from her hands and places it on the ground. Then, with the look of a man possessed, he cradles her head and presses his lips to hers once again. It is enough to waken a hunger neither had realized was lying dormant inside them.

Sensing her acquiescence, Peta gathers Kallisto into his arms, pressing his lips to hers more forcefully. There is no hesitation as her hands find their way into his golden mane, running the strands between her fingers as she'd often dreamed of doing. _His hair is as soft as silk,_ she thinks to herself briefly before giving over to the rising tide of emotion building between them.

Curious, Kallisto drags her nails along Peta's scalp before pulling on the shorter curls at the nape of his neck. His resulting moan fills her with pride, knowing that she caused the reaction, and feeling bold, trails her fingers across his shoulders. With another low moan, Peta tilts his head and runs the tip of his tongue along her lips, begging for entry. This time the moan comes from Kallisto as she complies willingly, letting the kiss deepens as they mold their bodies to one another.

They remain that way, locked in a tight embrace, hands exploring previously uncharted territory as they drink in each other's essence. Kallisto, in a fit of boldness, slips her hands into the open sides of Peta's tunic and acquaints herself with every hill and valley. She revels in the low hum coming from his throat at her feather-light touch along his spine

Peta returns the favor, sliding his hands down to her narrow waist, pulling her hips flush against him. She startles at the feel of his hardness pressing against her belly, gasping as he holds her tightly, cupping her backside with his firm hands.

She clings to him, awash in waves of desire, ready to dive into the abyss head-first when he pulls back, breaking their frantic kiss. An irrational bubble of anger and embarrassment begins to rise in her chest as she tries to understand why he stopped.

"Lovely Kallisto, you have no idea the effect you have on me." He leans his forehead against hers. "You have just returned to me. Please, let us take our time." His words calm her, as does the soothing feel of his fingers slowly tracing patterns up and down her arms.

"Come, let us sit." He tugs her arm gently, indicating where his bedroll has been spread out in the taller grass, surrounded by wildflowers. "I have been sleeping out here as the nights have been warm."

They sit and Kallisto feels all of her nerves come flooding back. She doesn't know what she's supposed to do now, or if he expects her to do anything at all. He makes no move to embrace her, content to sit holding her hand in silence.

After an interminable amount of time, during which her anxiety and doubts have reached a fever pitch, Kallisto looks away and blurts out the first thing that comes to mind. "I saw you…in the stream…bathing. I hid in a tree and watched."

"I know." She swings her head back to him, steely eyes wide. "I heard you…in the tree." She inhales sharply as the sting of a blush spreads across her skin as she tries to stand.

Peta stops her with a gentle hand upon her forearm. "Do not be ashamed, Kallisto. I enjoyed hearing the sounds you were making; especially knowing that I was the cause." His voice drops to a husky whisper as he leans in closer, "I thought about those sounds many times while you were away. I thought about you touching yourself then imagined you were using my hands, my body for your pleasure. Those thoughts never failed to help me reach the pinnacle of my own desire."

As he speaks, his breath tickles the sensitive skin behind her ear, and she cannot stop the shiver that runs down her spine. The wetness between her legs increases as she he confesses that he has eased his own ache with thoughts of her.

"Peta," she breathes, "I…I do not know what to do. This is all so new to me; I am afraid to disappoint you."

"This is new to me as well, Kallisto. Fear not, we shall learn the way together. You could never disappoint me." He takes her hand and places a soft kiss on each knuckle. Kallisto wants to weep at his tenderness.

"Stay with me?" she asks him, her voice small and timid.

"Always." He replies with no hesitation.

Suddenly he is kissing her again and she feels as if she is a girl on fire from the flames of desire flickering under her skin. She lies back, taking him with her and reveling in the feel of his weight upon her. His movements make the fabric of her chiton to rasp against her nipples, causing them to tighten, and sending ripples of sensation flooding through her body.

His manhood rubs insistently against her hip as he throws his thigh over hers. She cannot resist wrapping her other leg around his and pulling until he settles in the cradle of her legs. The skirt of her chiton has ridden up, allowing the coarse hair on his legs to scratch against the soft skin of her inner thighs.

She is bombarded by a myriad of sensations - the feel of his weight upon her, of his lips plundering her mouth, of his hands fisted in her hair, the indisputably male part of him thrusting gently against her own throbbing ache.

She cries out as his hand covers her breast, gently molding her flesh. As exquisite as that feels, she is still caught by surprise at the ecstasy of when he rolls her hardened nipple between his fingers. Her hips buck unconsciously as her back arches to press her breast further into his hand.

Peta chuckles softly at her response then gives her other breast the same treatment. Within moments, her clothing has become a needless barricade blocking Peta's touch from her burning skin, and she needs the offending garment to be gone, immediately.

She pushes against his chest, eliciting a sorrowful groan from Peta.

"Please, hold a moment." She smiles, trying to convey a confidence she doesn't really feel and he sits back on his heels. Kneeling, she reaches behind her back to untie her belt and drops it to the side. Slowly, she takes the hem of her chiton in both hands and pulls it over her head, leaving her body bare to Peta's gaze.

"You are even more beautiful than I'd imagined." His whispered devotion washes over her like a warm rain, causing her breath to catch and a new flood of heat to rush to her core.

Peta takes her cue and quickly divests himself of his own tunic, and the sight of arousal leaves her breathless.

"I knew you'd be glorious." Kallisto cannot tear her eyes away from his body and his skin flushes under the scrutiny of her gaze.

"It is you who is glorious." He runs his fingers through her long, dark tresses, arranging them to cover her breasts, making her look more like the nymph she is, with the crown of apple blossoms finishing the effect.

His eyes smolder in the growing darkness as he eases her back down onto the bedroll. He hovers over her before dipping down blaze a fiery trail of hot open mouth kisses across her collarbone and down to her breasts. She hisses in joy as his lips latch onto her nipple, sucking gently as he lavishes her with his tongue. Her head rolls from side to side as the fire begins to grow anew from his sweet ministrations.

"Peta…I need…more. I need…I need." She is panting with desire, knowing her body wants something more, but unable to put it into words.

"Tell me what you need, Kallisto. I would give you the very sky if it would keep that look upon your face." She sighs at his words, feeling them roll over her as she feels his lips continue their journey across her body.

"I…I…here." She pushes his shoulders, trying to show what it is that she wants.

"Are you sure?" He asks her, the hope evident in his voice. Kallisto nods her assent and Peta resumes his slow, torturous path down her body, stopping to run his tongue around her navel before finally reaching his destination.

Kallisto's back arches off the ground when his lips connect with her most sensitive spot, but his hands hold her in place as he begins to lap at her with his tongue. Her fingers twine themselves into his curls, holding him firmly in place and he continues his exploration of her most intimate area.

The rough texture of his tongue sliding through the slickness of her arousal causes shivers of pleasure to radiate throughout her being. One of his hands slips from her thigh and she jerks as first one, then two of his long thick fingers enter her, testing and teasing her folds as his mouth continues to tease her sensitive bundle of nerves.

"Peta!" she pants as he slowly continues. She can feel his moans reverberate against her skin as he savors her cries and the vibrations help to speed her towards the inevitable conclusion. The coils of desire build within her, starting deep in her belly and winding their way around her spine. The faster he moves, the more intense the feeling becomes until finally the dam breaks and she cries out at the overwhelming sensations engulfing her.

As she comes down from the high of her climax, Peta wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. "I would gladly spend eons watching you come undone like that again and again, my sweet Kallisto."

His words spear her heart, filling it with a strange but not unpleasant emotion. She feels full of joy, to the point of bursting, and wants nothing more than to share this feeling with Peta.

She gazes at him in wonder, letting her eyes travel his nude form, gasping at the sight of his weeping erection. "You are more beautiful than the Gods themselves," she whispers reverently as her fingertips reach out to lightly stroke the velvety skin of his manhood.

"I wish to lay with you, Peta." Kallisto takes him firmly in her hand and shifts closer, letting his hardness to come into contact with her heated flesh as she wraps her leg around his hips. His answering groan is music to her ears, and feeling bold, she begins to slide her wet folds along the thick ridge of him. Peta's hands grip her bottom to shift her slightly, causing his tip to graze her swollen bundle of nerves with each pass.

"Please, I beg of you, I must feel you inside of me." She pants as the same exquisite pressure begins to build again low in her belly.

"That is my greatest wish as well." He settles between her legs again and taking himself in hand, places the tip of his member at the warm entrance to her body.

He hesitates, unsure of the next step. Kallisto boldly wraps her legs high around his hips and urges him forward. The action causes him to slide in further and further until with a twist of his hips, he buries himself deep within her waiting core, causing them both to cry out at this new sensation.

They remain locked that way, neither sure of what to do next, until instinct takes over and Kallisto begins to rock her hips gently, eliciting a deep moan of approval from Peta as his hips begin a matching rhythm.

Kallisto feels the buzz of desire begin to build within her again as Peta thrusts in earnest. Her legs drop from around his back as she loses herself in the moment, allowing Peta to reach a spot deep inside of her that causes waves of pure bliss to pulse throughout her body. After only a few more thrusts, Kallisto feels her walls begin to flutter and her mind shatters, leaving her breathless and wanting to cry from the sheer beauty of the moment. Peta finds his own release moments later, spilling into her as he shouts her name with a strangled cry.

They remain locked together, chests heaving, and sweat dripping from their spent bodies as they come down from their respective highs. She feels Peta's softening member slide from her body, leaving her feeling empty, as if a part of her is missing.

By now night has fallen across the meadow. Peta gathers Kallisto to him, curling his body protectively around hers. As she surrenders to the sleep tugging at her sated mind, she hears Peta whisper behind her, "I love you, Kallisto."

His confession frightens her and she stills, hoping he'll think she's fallen asleep. Shortly thereafter, she feels his breathing even out and she lies awake, wondering if she'll be able to find the words she needs to tell him how she feels.

Morning comes, and with it another slow exploration of each other's bodies. When they are finished, panting and spent, they help each other dress for the day, sharing shy smiles and soft touches, neither wanting to break the sweet spell that had fallen over the meadow.

"I have to return to Artemis for the daily hunt." She tells him, suddenly feeling shy and awkward despite their previous activities.

"You have to chase the white stag around the forest, you mean." He replies, looking as if he wants to say something more. She is afraid he is going to repeat his midnight confession, and when he doesn't, she lets out the breath she had been holding.

"I'll come back later today." She doesn't want to leave him, not really, but she needs some distance to put her feelings and thoughts into order.

"I will be waiting for you." He smiles and kisses her.

Neither of them had an inkling that the Fates had other plans, and that this would be their final good-bye in this life.

_Two months later…_

Artemis, alerted to Kallisto's actions by the white stag, arrives in the woods only to find she is too late. The lovers, locked in their final embrace, lay upon the ground as if only resting.

She surveys the scene in disbelief, sadness weighing upon her brow. She knows there is no way to help them now, but there is one thing she can do to ensure they find each other again.

The shining Goddess takes an arrow from her quiver and sends it flying into the night sky where it explodes in a shower of stardust covering the young couple, until they've become dust themselves. She then gathers the powder in her hands and takes it to Peta's tent in the meadow. Finding the painting he had done of Kallisto, Artemis blows the granules over it, adding Peta's likeness and enshrining both within the wooden panels and waxy pigments.

She closes her eyes and bestows the final enchantment; one that will allow Peta and Kallisto's spirits to be re-born-eons from now, in another time, another place, where their love will be free to bloom. Only a wish upon the painting, when the full moon passes through the shadow of the earth, bathing its milky white surface in the darkness of a new moon, will bring them together again.

Satisfied with her work, Artemis wraps the painting in a piece of cloth and buries it, deep in the meadow, under a willow, where it shall remain hidden, keeping the young lovers safe from harm.

_To be continued…_

_**A/N 2: Thank you to Marycontrary82 for her excellent beta work, Ro Nordmann for the wonderful banner, and TomiStaccato for her pre-reading expertise. **_


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